Click photo to enlarge
Musician Marty Casey, of the US, takes time out in
Arrowtown yesterday afternoon. Photo by Tracey Roxburgh.
Musician Marty Casey may have come up with a new slogan
for Queenstown: "The focal point for insanity".
It's high praise coming from the man who starred on New
Zealand television screens in 2005 during the American
reality music show Rockstar INXS, where INXS band members
hunted for a new lead singer.
Brought to New Zealand by Making It Happen Promotions and
Grow Your Business, Casey's solo acoustic tour of the country
will include a song-writing workshop at the National CanTeen
Camp, being held in Taranaki from January 19 to 24.
Despite his busy schedule, Casey managed a fleeting visit to
Queenstown, packing in more adrenalin-inducing activities in
less than 48 hours than many do in a year.
"When we arrived Heliworks had a helicopter ready for us,
already spinning, ready to go.
"We got in the helicopter and in five minutes we were on top
of the mountain. It's what this town is about."
Following an acoustic concert at the Thirsty Ram on Tuesday
night - where one audience member was invited on stage to
accompany Casey with a ratchet - he woke yesterday morning
and shortly after was flung through the Nevis on the Canyon
Swing.
There was time for a quick lunch before he was rushed to the
Shotover Jet and then on to AJ Hackett's Kawarau Bungy
operation to throw himself off the bridge.
There's no doubt life has changed dramatically for Casey
since Rockstar INXS.
Previously, he put his finance degree to good use working as
a commercial appraiser during the week, and became a "weekend
warrior", fronting the Lovehammers, a band he founded at the
age of 13, which still boasts the same members.
Then he got an email suggesting he apply for Rockstar INXS.
"At the beginning of 2005 I thought it was time to focus on
one of the careers - it was either time to settle down, buy a
house and have some kids and a wife [or make music a career].
"I'd done everything in Chicago . . . but [the music career]
hadn't grown so much.
"I got an email and it said `try out for INXS'."
Auditioning for the reality show, which he described as a
"pipe dream" changed his life overnight.
After five months of interviews, testing and sending DVDs to
the show's producers, he was taken to Santa Monica to perform
for nine days.
"The whole time I was just so focused, I was kind of
obsessed."
It was 2am when he was told he had made the cut and he
celebrated on his own in his hotel suite, drinking the mini
bar dry and calling everyone he needed to.
Even though he did not go all the way in the television show,
life has never been the same - "way more than I expected, way
more fun, but way harder".
"When the show aired, I was 31. Things usually level out for
people [at that age].
